President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden stopped by a Waffle House in Marietta, Ga. after Thursday night’s debate in Atlanta with Donald Trump.
A reporter asked the president if he had any concerns about his performance and questions about whether he should drop out of the race.
“No. It’s hard to debate a liar,” Biden replied. “The New York Times pointed out he maybe lied 26 times. Big lies.”
Biden, asked if he had a cold, said he had a sore throat.
Speaking with a raspy voice during the debate, Biden tried repeatedly to confront Donald Trump in their first debate ahead of the November election, as his Republican rival countered Biden’s criticism by leaning into falsehoods about the economy, illegal immigration and his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.
Biden’s uneven performance, particularly early in the debate, crystallized the concerns of many Americans that, at 81, he is too old to serve as president. It sparked a fresh round of calls for the Democrat to consider stepping aside as the party fears a return of Trump to the White House.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
